694 Arboriculture of the Voyage 



none were seen near the coast, except a fine cultivated specimen, which was 

 40 ft. high. The cones are roasted, and sold in the streets under the name of 

 pinoncs, the Spanish name of those of the P. 2 J inea. 



By far the most interesting tree, however, of which we have an account in 

 this work, is the alerse (it ought to he alerce), a large Conifera, of which the 

 principal forests are in the cordillera opposite to Chiloe. The Spanish 

 settlers had conferred this name upon it, no doubt, from some fancied resem- 

 blance to the tree of their Arab ancestors (the Thuja articulata) ; but, from 

 the description, it would appear rather to be a pine. The principal account 

 of it is by Captain King ; but Captain Fitzroy employed a Mr. Douglas to 

 make an excursion for the purpose of examining the forests, which are now 

 considerably inland, and difficult of access. By his account there are still 

 trees of great dimensions in the interior, the largest he saw being 22 ft. and 

 24 ft. in girt at 5 ft. from the ground, though they were unsound. The 

 largest felled within the last forty years measured 30 ft. at 5 ft. from the 

 ground, and 76 ft. to the first branches, furnishing 1500 planks, the common 

 proportion of the larger trees being from 800 to 900. He gave an ac- 

 count of a landslip which had carried down 1000 trees a few years since, 

 many of them of large size. Astilleros, or timber yards, are formed in con- 

 venient situations, where the trunks are sawn into lengths of 8 or 9 feet, 

 and then split by iron wedges into planks of various thickness, which are 

 carried on men's shoulders to the place of embarkation. So straight is the 

 grain, that they split like slates, and are used for roofing, turning blue by ex- 

 posure to the weather; and for flooring, and many other purposes. The wood 

 is brittle, but. is not subject to warp or cast. The entire tree makes excellent 

 masts, as they experienced ; but the difficulty of transport is such, that, 

 although a very large price was offered, it was impossible to procure one in 

 less than two months, and the governor kindly presented them with his flag- 

 staff, which suited admirably. The bark is used for caulking, which purpose 

 it answers while kept under water, but it will not bear the alternation of wet 

 and dry. 



The timber is not only in general use at Chiloe, but is largely exported to 

 Lima and other places ; and, no doubt, a road to the interior forests would 

 repay the projectors, the people being too poor for such undertakings. Far 

 inland, beyond the reach of the Calbucanos, who carry on this laborious 

 business, are said to be trees of 30 ft. to 40 ft. in girt, and 80 ft. to 90 ft. to 

 the branches, the heads towering 40 ft. to 50 ft. higher. An associated species 

 is called the cypress, which, no doubt, from the description, is different, 

 although Captain King is doubtful on this point. The wood is white, that of 

 the alerce being red, and it does not split so well as the latter timber. 



There is a full and ample account of the Falkland Islands, which were 

 surveyed by the expedition. This group, the principal islands of which are 

 of considerable size, has no trees, or hardly shrubs ; but, the climate being 

 mild and humid, the vegetation is most abundant, and the cattle and horses, 

 which are running wild, attain a very large size. An account is quoted from 

 a botanist called Vernet, who found twenty-seven species in a space of 12 ft. 

 So great would be the advantages of forming a settlement here, for the pur- 

 pose of supplying the Australian navigators, and as a depot in case of future 

 wars, that it is extraordinary no steps are taken for the purpose. 



We have now extracted the principal heads of the information afforded us 

 by those officers who very fortunately found time, amid their most multitudi- 

 nous avocations, to attend to a subject of such interest as the trees of the 

 countries they visited. Probably many of our readers will be surprised when 

 they are told that a regular botanist (Mr. Anderson) formed a part of the 

 expedition, and that, his collections being sent to the British Museum ; Captain 

 Fitzroy, who edited the work in Captain King's absence, was led to expect 

 that " a first-rate botanist " would report upon them : but, up to the time 

 of the publication, nothing of the kind had been done, and the public was 

 left without this most necessary and desirable information. Who is to blame 



